Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 02/17/2009
Although there are several different surgical procedures used at present to correct hypospadias depending on its severity, all have the following purposes:
- To permit emptying of the bladder standing up. The abnormal location of the urethral...
meatus on the underside of the penis forces many boys to void urine sitting down, which leads to anxiety about using public restrooms or otherwise being seen undressed by other males. - To correct a condition associated with hypospadias known as chordee. Chordee, which comes from the French cordée, which means tied or corded, is a condition in which the penis bends downward during an erection. This curving or bending makes it difficult to have normal sexual intercourse as an adult.
- To prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). It is common in hypospadias for the urethral meatus to be stenotic, or abnormally narrowed. A stenotic urethra increases the risk of frequent UTIs.
- To lower the risk of developing testicular cancer. Hypospadias has been identified as a risk factor for developing testicular cancer after adolescence.
- To confirm the boy's sexual identity by improving the outward appearance of the penis. The external genitals of babies with severe hypospadias may look ambiguous at birth, causing stress for the parents about their child's gender identity.
Advertisement
Search
Other Information
Definition:
Hypospadias repair is surgery to correct a birth defect in boys in which the urethra does not properly exit the tip of the penis.
For information on the condition itself, see: Hypospadias.
Description:
The surgery is done while the child is under general anesthesia (asleep and pain-free). The type of repair depends on the severity of the defect. Mild defects may be repaired in a one procedure, while severe defects may require two or more procedures.
A small piece of foreskin, or tissue from another site, can be used to create a tube to extend the length of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that releases urine from the body. Extending the length allows an opening to be placed at the tip of the penis.
Circumcision should not be performed at birth in boys with hypospadias, so that the foreskin can later be used for the repair.
Other Information
In 2000, the estimated number of hospital admissions among adults aged 18 or older with urinary incontinence listed as a diagnosis was of 47,802 hospital stays (1,332 men; 46,470 women).
From: NKUDIC
Find a Qualified Specialist
Looking for a specialist?
Please enter your zip code.